4 Communities

The ways that children’s health needs can be provided for within communities varies, and for families living in areas of deprivation there is usually a greater need to provide services and amenities. In Wales, the Flying Start programme was launched in 2006/7 to put services in deprived communities for children aged up to 4.

In England, Family Hubs were launched in March 2021 as part of the best start in life programme (HM Government, 2022). The programme starts during pregnancy and offers support with infant nutrition, parent and infant relationships and parenting programmes. As well as offering universal services for all children, such as access to health visitors, specific services that can help to provide for the needs of the community can be available.